San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-18
CHAPTER VII

Ine Wintsr udii Haiuiy pcRuu-it was
only November when the quiet monotony
Of their life was again broken in upon.
Sibyl had been in the village reading TO
| a sick woman and was coming home
through the fast falling rain, feeling very
tired, and looking forward to an hour of
| quietness, when she would be able to rest
her aching head, and read over again the
long and loving letter from Percival which
lay warm against her heart under her
shabby waterproof.
As she struggled upthe little drive, de-
flying the beating shower and the wind
with her umbrellas she saw the well known
fly from Rystone Station standing before
the house, the horse covered with rug,
and the driver beating his arms across
his chest and loudly stamping his feet in
the shelter Of the doorway.
"Why don't they send tie unfortunate
man round to the kitchen7" thought ST.
byl. sand who can be here on such q
day as this7"
Old Dixon met her with scared face.
"Miss Sibyl," she said, almost forget
ting to relieve the young lady of her
drenched cloak and umbrella-Dixon idol
lied Miss Kennedy. and would have spoil
ed her long ago if she had been able
"Miss Sbyl nay dear, Miss Amaranth is
herev
"Amaranth" echoed Sibyl. turning a
little pale. "Mrs. CaIruthersi Oh, Bix-
on"-pulling off her hat and hastily
smoothing her fair hair-"I hope there is
nothing gone wrong"
A visit from one of Lady Annals daugh-
tiers was so unusual an occurrence that
Sibyl could not help the thought.
HAS my cousin been here long2" she
asked; and then, without waiting for an
answer, she ran across the hall and down
the dark old corridor to the parlor.
lady who was sitting by the fire rose
to meet her, tall woman in French bon
net, and covered in handsome dark furs
which she had not removed.
"Here you are last" she said with an
exclamation of relief. Dear me. how you
known you"
The keen eyes Of the speaker were TAX
ing in every detail Of the girls beauty
Sibyl seeing little of the look of Perciv-
al in his sisters fine face, put up her lips
to kiss Mrs. Carruthers as she burst out
saying
"Amaranth is anything, wrongl Where
is aunt Annaf"
"She has gone to her room to lie down.
No, don't go to her! / asked her to let
me speak to you alone. Poor mamma
has had a shock, Sibyl, as we all have,
and there is no one but you who can help
u.s."
Sibyl felt herself turning cold.
at settlement again r. she said, fright
ened. What could he have done worse
than he has already been guilty of "He
has nearly broken aunt Annals heart" she
cried piteously. Do you know that in his
last letter he threatened to shoot himself
if she did not send him twenty poundsR
We had not twenty pounds. We sent him
what we could2 Oh, Amaranth, what is it
| now2"
Mrs. Carruthers got back into her chair,
and Sibyl sunk down upon the hearthrug
at her feet. Lady Annals daughter SEEM
ed to have some difficulty in beginning
She pau2c.l. umhuttoning her sealskin
palctot and throwing it open.
element has been trial to us ALL" she
said at last, her well cut lip quivering-
| .Of course it has fallrn hardest on our ia
Their and mother-that is natural; but We
have all helped him to the best of our
ability from time to time. l am sure !
have told Mr.. Cauuthers many false
hood to account for the money Clement has
had from me-"
"Oh, why will men lie so wickedi" Sibyl
cried, helplessly wringing her hands,
what good does it ito thcmf How can
they have the hearth
"That is what a good many women have
asked in their time | dare say"-Mrs.
Carruthers shrugged her fair shouldersj
"but they seem ~ go on following their
own devices all the same. l am sure
dread TO think Of my boys grow ng up
Clement always has been the black sheep
of the family. He has been hopeless from
the first; but we have all done our ut
most"-Amaranth was evidently not with
out a sense Of family feeling-"to keep him
at distance and prevent his conduct
from being talked about. 1t would be a
. je e. GIhcdC